Guess Who's at Gallagher
by bookbabe68
Summary: now a 4-shot. used 2 be alabama dreamin'
1. Chapter 1

Alabama Dreamin'

**Hi. So this is my first one-shot ever, so I'm not sure if it will be all that awesome. This just popped into my head after reading the latest short story on . So if you haven't ready Day 45: Liz yet you might not want to read this. The title is a bit random, but it's what popped into my head.**

**Disclaimer: characters belong to the genius that is Ally Carter.**

**Liz's POV**

A few hours after my disastrous attempt at baking with Ellie, I sat on my bed flipping through the SAT prep books that I had long ago memorized. I was tutoring some of my neighbors

this summer, and wanted to prep myself to seem like this wasn't stuff I knew in elementary school. Then I heard the phone rang. "Lizzie, phone for you," my mom called. "Who is it

mom?" "Someone named Jonas." "I got it, hang up when you hear me on the phone." I jumped off my bed and raced to my reading nook that I set up in one of the corners of my room.

It had a fluffy beanbag chair, an all-purpose charger I created that had a replaceable end so you could use it to charge any electronic device, my iPod dock and my landline phone. I

grabbed my phone as quick as I could. "Hello?" I heard a click as my mom hung up the phone. "Hi Liz. It's Jonas." "I know that. My mom told me, so, what's up?" "Nothing much. I've

just been hanging out at home, I'm working on a-" "Jonas can you hold on a second? I need to make sure the phone is secure, my sister likes to listen in sometimes." "No I don't!" I

heard Ellie call from down the hall. "Then why did you just scream 'No I don't!'? Now hang up!" "Fine." I opened up my laptop and hooked it up to a special panel in the landline that I

installed, then I added firewall type-things to the phone lines so the landline would be impossible for even the NSA to tap or trace, and made sure nothing was being recorded already. I

picked up the phone again "Okay, my end can't be tapped, traced, or recorded, and I put us on a different line from the rest of my house so my parents and sister can't listen in. Are

you all good on your end?" "Yeah. I'm on the cell phone we had to create for our covert technology exam during the exchange." I pulled up where the signal was coming from on my

computer screen, and one look at the device number and incoming and outgoing signals showed he was telling the truth. "Cool. So, what were you saying before?" "Oh yeah. I'm

working on a serum that will keep bugs off your plants yet isn't poisonous because my mom loves gardening but hates the bugs on her plants yet doesn't want to harm the environment

with insecticides. Are you doing anything this summer?" "Not really. My sister and my parents have been hanging out with me a lot, so I can't really do much for obvious reasons, and I

also promised a few of my neighbors I'd tutor them for the SAT, and they know I'm smart but they don't know I'm above PhD smart, so I'm trying to figure out how to tutor them

without giving my IQ away, because that may raise suspicions." "I'm sure you'll figure it out. You always think of something." "Thanks. So, have you found anything?" "Sorry Liz,

nothing. Speaking of finding things, have you heard anything about Zach? He hasn't contacted Grant or me since he found out about Cammie." "I think he went off the grid to find her, I

guess we just have to wait. Hey, want to hear something less depressing but still upsetting in it's own right?" "Sure." "My sister wants to go to Gallagher Academy. And she knows

something is different about it, because I so adamantly tried to convince her not to." "Wait, so what happened exactly?" Thanks to my eidetic memory, I remembered every bit perfectly,

so I told Jonas the entire conversation verbatim. "Liz, you can do it. I have complete faith in you. If you couldn't do it, you would have walked into Headmistress Morgan's office a long

time ago and asked for the tea. And as for danger, we'll be stuck in labs all day, so we'll hopefully be a bit safer." "You're right. Thanks Jonas." "Anytime. So, your sister really wants to

go to Gallagher? It's kinda sweet if you think about it." "Why do you say that?" "Well, it sounds like she wants to be like her big sister." "I never thought about it like that. But I still don't

want her to go." "Why not? It sounds like she's good enough." "Exactly, and it's my job to keep her that way. Before Gallagher, I was the best at every single class except PE, which I

was okay with. Now, I'm not the best at everything. And sometimes, I feel like I'm not cut out for a school like Gallagher. For what it's preparing us for. You look at people like Cammie

and Bex and Macey and you see that they're made for the career path we're on. They're smart enough to do all that's required of them, and I am too, but I'm not strong like they are.

They're tough and can handle the bad, can keep their self in check, can live with the fact that they have to keep huge secrets from people they care about. Bex and Cammie grew up

knowing where they were going, and Macey doesn't really care if her parents don't know because she barely communicates with them and doesn't care what they think, because she

isn't close to them. But I'm different. Every time I see Cammie bounce right back after a concussion, every time I hear about Bex and Cammie talking about MI6 missions Bex went on

with her parents or Cammie practicing fighting with her parents and Abby, I'm reminded I'm living this whole life my family can't know about. That I can't go to my parents for comfort

after something terrible happens in the field. That whenever I create a new security device or sell something to NASA or the NSA or find out a way to increase the gas mileage on the

car I'm working on, I have to tell my parents that I just blocked a computer virus or won some science fair. There are days where I just want to cry because of all the stuff my family

can never know about me. And half the time I feel like one more little thing will break me, and everything will just come pouring out. The truth about Gallagher, why I've barely talked

to Bex and Cammie and Macey this summer, the real reason Cammie's dad isn't around, what really happened in Boston, just everything." I heard a click as a phone got hung up, and I

got a little confused and hurt, until a request for a video chat from Jonas popped up on my computer. I clicked on the accept button and Jonas's face popped up on the screen. "Sorry,

about that, I just wanted to say this next part face to face as possible. Liz. You are so much tougher than you give yourself credit for. You can handle it. Never forget that. You are so

amazing. And, well, I really like you." An uncontrollable smile grew on my face. "I really like you too." Jonas smiled. "So, will you be my girlfriend?" "Yes." I smiled until I heard Ellie

singing, "Liz has a boyfriend, Liz has a boyfriend." I groaned. "That was just possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done. I should have checked to make sure she wasn't in hearing

distance." Jonas looked worried, "How much of that conversation did you think she heard?" "Shit. I'll be right back, can you contact Bex, Macey, and Grant and have them ready to join

this just in case?" "Sure. Go." I scrambled out of my beanbag chair and grabbed my sister, dragging her into my room. "1. Be quiet. 2. How much did you hear?" My sister opened and

closed her mouth. "Ellie, how much of that conversation did you hear? This is important." "I started listening in after I hung up the phone." Crap. I dragged Ellie to my reading nook, and

grabbed my computer. "Jonas, are Macey, Grant, and Bex ready to be conferenced in?" "Yup." He started typing, and in a few seconds, the screen was divided into 4 sections, each

showing a different face. "Ok, are you all in a secure location." They all nodded. "Now, what the bloody hell is going on Liz?" "Bex, language. My sister is here." "I know damn well your

sister is with you. Now, what I want to know is how much of your conversation did she hear?" "Whoa, bombshell, calm down," Grant said. "Grant and Bex, shut up. I only have so long

on here before the senator and his wife drag me to some stupid function with the Winters. Now, Liz, how much of the conversation did Ellie hear?" Jonas plugged his phone in the

computer and accessed our conversation to play back to everyone, then played back the video chat conversation. Bex and Macey looked shocked and upset. "Liz, why didn't you ever

tell us how you felt?" Bex asked. "I didn't want to bother you guys. And Bex, looking at you and Cammie and Macey, I felt my feelings were downright stupid. You guys seemed to have

no trouble at all, with anything. The only problem's Macey had was catching up." "Oh Liz. You can come to us with anything. We're not friends or just roommates, we're sisters." Ellie let

out an indignant "Hey!" at this. I think, despite all our training, we forgot she was there and why we were all talking. Grant, for once, was the logical one. "Uh, I think we should get

back to the issue at hand." "Wait, why is this a big deal. So what if Liz sells things to NSA or NASA, that's pretty cool. Not everyone can say their big sister sold things to the U.S.

government before they even graduated high school." "Actually, the first time I sold something to NASA, it was the 8th grade." "Cool. So, again what's the big deal? It's not like you're

spies." Despite all of our training, we froze. Ellie looked around at our frozen faces. "Wait, are you-" but before she could finish, I clasped my hand over her mouth. "Ellie, listen to me,

and listen carefully. You cannot tell anyone. And I mean anyone. If anyone finds out, best case scenario, you're given memory erasing tea, worst case scenario, you and whoever you

told ends up in a casket. Do you understand? The only reason we can't give you tea is because we don't have any and you are smart enough to start Gallagher in 7th grade. Now, " I

turned back to the computer, "Someone call Professor Buckingham and the CIA, and tell them Ellie Sutton is coming to Gallagher in a year and one month."


	2. Chapter 2

Guess Who's at Gallagher Chapter 2

**So, I decided to make this into a 3 or 4 shot story. I also had an epiphany. I figured Josh's little sister Joy and Ellie are in the same grade and they could go 2 gallagher 2gether. This story is NOT related 2 "The Boys are Back and There's Going to be Trouble" (as in, Josh does not know the truth) Also, you may have noticed I changed the name of this story**

**Next summer, around July (summer after 6****th**** grade) Ellie's POV**

I stared at the envelope in my hand, too scared to open it. I knew what it would say, of course, it's not like I _couldn't_ go the Gallagher Academy, after what I learned approximately a

year ago. It's not like my parents couldn't let me go, after they _finally_ saw the Gallagher Academy last month when we went up for Liz's graduation. I heard a voice behind me. "Open it

Ellie. We all know you got in." A high-pitched voice said. It was Liz. Our parents were right behind her. I sighed and opened it up, gingerly pulling out the letter. I was half hoping it

would say I couldn't go. I began reading.

_Dear Ms. Sutton,_

_ Congratulations. You have been accepted to start at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women this coming autumn. We feel that you will add so much to our school and are very excited to have you. We look forward to seeing you this coming autumn._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Rachel Morgan_

_ Headmistress_

I smiled. "I got in." My parents swooped me up in a hug. "I knew you could do it." My dad said. "You'll be great," said my mom. Once they released me, Liz stepped towards me. "You'll

be fine. I know it. I can take you if you want, it's on my way to D.C." I smiled at her. "I'd like that." "Are you sure Lizzie? I don't want to distract you from your new job." Liz smiled at

her, "It's fine mom. It gives me a chance to see my teachers again, and don't worry I could never be distracted from my new job. It's the Department of Homeland Security." I had to

stop myself from giggling. As far as our parents knew, Liz had most of her classes done to get a double degree in technology and biochemistry, and would be working for the

Department of Homeland Security during the day working on security equipment and taking the few night classes required to finish up her degree online. In reality, she was working for

the CIA and technically had all the classes done required to get a PhD. I smiled at her. Gallagher Academy, here I come.

**Around the same time, Joy's POV**

I stared at the letter in my hand. I couldn't believe it. In my hand, I was holding a letter from the Gallagher Academy. Yes, _the _Gallagher Academy. The one for all the rich, spoiled

heiresses. Including my brother's ex-girlfriend, Cammie Morgan, who just treated him like a plaything. She broke his heart. I have no idea how they even found out about me. "Joy,

have you got the mail?" my mom called, snapping me out of my reverie. "Yeah mom. Coming." I went inside the house. My mom saw the bewildered expression on my face. "What's

going on?" Wordlessly, I handed her the envelope. "What's this?" she murmured. Then she looked at the envelope more closely. "Oh. Well, aren't you going to open it?" I rolled my eyes,

"Fine." She handed it over to me, along with a letter opener, and I carefully opened it and pulled out the piece of paper inside. I quickly scanned over it, but a few things stood out to

me, "scholarship" "join the incoming 7th grade class" "this autumn". My mouth dropped open. "What is it honey?" my mom asked. "The Gallagher Academy found out I was a good

student, and they want to offer me a scholarship for 7th through 12th grade." My mom smiled. "Honey, that's amazing. What do you think?" "What does Joy think of what?" Josh asked.

He and DeeDee had just walked through the door, holding hands. Josh grabbed 2 apples from the basket on the table and handed one to DeeDee. "I got offered a scholarship, to the

Gallagher Academy." Josh almost dropped his apple, and DeeDee got really big eyes. DeeDee was the first to recover. "That's great Joy. I'll bet you're really excited." "No, I'm not

going." I said. "Why not?" Josh asked. "You know why." I responded. Josh sighed and rolled his eyes, "Joy, that was almost 3 years ago. I've gotten over it, so I don't understand how

the hell you are sill mad about that." "I'll tell you why. It's not what happened to you, it's what it proved. That they're all stuck up brats." I snapped. "If I may interject, Joy, they're not

stuck up brats. Cammie is nice to _me._ And not even most regular girls are nice to their ex-boyfriends new girlfriends. And it is an amazing school. I heard having the Gallagher Academy

on an application is like a golden ticket to any college you want." DeeDee said. "She's right honey," my mom said. "How about we talk about it at dinner?" I said. "Okay," my mom said.

**Dinnertime**

At dinner that night, my dad asked the usual question of "How was everyone's day?" "Well, Joy got an exciting letter," my mom said. "What is it?" my dad asked. "I got offered a

scholarship to the Gallagher Academy. I wanted to talk to you first before I made my decision." "Well, what do you want to do? It is an amazing school, it would be a great opportunity."

"I don't know. It is a great school, but what about everyone here. I doubt they'd let me commute." "It'd be an adventure, and you do get let out occasionally. I think you should do it."

My dad said. "Okay. I think I'll go."


	3. Chapter 3

Guess Who's at Gallagher Chapter 3

**Day before orientation Ellie's POV**

Liz and I pulled up to the Gallagher Academy on the day before orientation, and parked in the parking lot. "Nervous?" Liz asked. "Yeah. I can't help but think about what I'm preparing

for. And I'm worried about you." "Don't be worried about me, I'm stuck inside all day. The worse that can happen is a small explosion, which I have already experienced multiple times.

Word of advice, always make sure you add chemicals together in very small amounts." "I'll keep that in mind." "Good. Let's get your bags." Liz popped the trunk and grabbed my

smallest bag. I tried grabbing one of my larger bags, but I was having issues with it. I looked at Liz, but she just said, "No way am I lifting that thing." I then heard laughing and

practically jumped out of my skin. "Liz, lift some weights," a vaguely familiar voice said. Liz turned around and squealed, "Cammie." "Yes." "I thought I wouldn't see you for another few

weeks." "My mom wanted me to spend my last few weeks before work with her. You know, mother daughter bonding time before I go out into the field. And I'm helping with orientation

because Professor Buckingham had to go back to MI6 for a few weeks." "Is everything okay?" Liz asked. "Everything's fine. But someone has to help keep Bex in check the first few

weeks." Liz laughed. Cammie turned to me. "It's nice to see you again Ellie, would you like some help with your bags?" "Thanks Cammie." She smiled and grabbed the big bag I was

trying to get earlier, and dropped it on the ground, then walked away and reappeared a few seconds later with a golf cart, then loaded my bags onto it and hopped on. "You coming?" Liz

and I got on and Cammie drove over to the front gates. We hopped off and grabbed my bags and started lugging them up the front steps to the doors. When we reached the top steps

the doors opened and behind them was a _very_ hot guy, with dark brown hair and startling dark green eyes. "Want some help?" He called. "Nah, we got it." Liz said. The boy just smiled

and gestured inside in an "After you" gesture. Liz stared at him, then turned her head to Cammie. "Did Zach just do something taught in C&A?" Liz questioned. "Yup. And it only took 2

years, 7 months, 2.5 weeks and 3 hours." "Hey!" the boy, who I'm assuming is Zach, said. "You know it's true Blackthorne Boy," Cammie responded. Zach rolled his eyes. We stepped

inside. "Now Ellie," Cammie started "I know you already know the truth about Gallagher, but please don't reveal it to anyone, there will be other girls who know the truth, they have

been told the same thing. When we first give the tour, the school will be in code red. Which means that we're on disguise mode to make it seem like a normal school. After the first tour,

we will switch to our usual mode and my mother will tell everyone the truth. Do you understand?" I nodded. "Good. We are currently in Code Red mode because people are arriving

today. And see that bust over there," she pointed to a bust of a dude with big ears, I nodded, "when we are in are usual mode, that is where we keep Gilly's sword. You will learn about

it tomorrow, but _don't_ go anywhere near that sword. It is electrified, and while it is just enough to knock a person out, you, being the same size as your sister in 7th grade, kind of only

count as half a person. So, _stay away_, We do not need a repeat of our 7th grade orientation. Got it?" I nodded, too shocked to speak. "Good." Cammie said. "Now go on up to your

room. Your bags have been placed there." I looked around, and found my bags were gone. "Whoa, When did that happen?" Cammie, Zach and Liz all chuckled. "Oh, Ellie, you have so

much to learn," Liz said, but there was a trace of sadness and worry in her voice, and I wondered about the not-so-nice things they are taught here. I shook it off, not ready to think

about it until I had to. I started to go upstairs, and then I realized I had no idea where my room is. I began to open my mouth, but before I could remind them, I heard Liz say, "Go

upstairs. The names are on the doors." I went upstairs, and looked for my room, I found it and knocked, no answer. I went inside and found my bed and started unpacking. "Want some

help?" I jumped, and turned behind me. It was just Liz. "Yeah, thanks." Liz nodded, "No problem." I took a deep breath, "I'm really scared Liz." "I know, you told me that already." "No,

like _really_scared. I'm terrified. As in, I think I may pee myself just _thinking_ about what I will be taught to do." I admitted. "One, trust me, you are not going to pee yourself. And it's

good to be scared now. Trust me. If you become scared later on, it sucks. You have less time to process what you will be doing for a living, that your friends could be captured or

tortured or killed at any moment. Be scared now, you have more time to let it sink in. I didn't truly let myself be scared until the beginning of junior year, and it wasn't until second

semester that it got bad. Then, last summer, well, last summer, I can't even describe what I went through, waiting for Cammie to come home. Everyday, Bex and Macey and Zach and

Mrs. Morgan and Cammie's aunt Abby and I just waited, hoping to hear something, anything from her, to find out that she was okay. That's why I baked so much, it distracted me." Liz

told me. I almost started crying. That was why she didn't me to go, why she was so freaked. But I didn't want to look like a crybaby in front of my new classmates, in case any of them

came early, so instead I quipped, "And almost burned down the house. Not to mention destroy half of mom's cookware." Liz smiled, "That too." By this point, we had all of my clothes

folded and put away. I took out my sheets and comforter and made my bed, then grabbed my books and school supplies and organized them on my desk. I spent the next few hours

hanging out with Liz, Cammie, and Zach, just talking about Gallagher Academy and what they were going to do next and all that. "So," I asked, "what about my roommates?" "Well, 2

of them should be here soon. One of them, Melanie Grei, is smart, but from what I can tell, is kind of bratty, but Macey was the same way at first, and she's fine now, so it shouldn't be

an issue. Another one, Linda Griffin, is smart and athletic, so she could end up on either track. Her dad is NSA and her mom is CIA, so she knows the truth about Gallagher. The last

one, Joy Abrams, is coming late tonight because she had an event all day. Don't be put off if she's a bit surly or anything, because she is from Roseville, and everyone there thinks we're

just a bunch of spoiled brats." "Okay." A few minutes later my roommates arrived. Cammie, Zach and Liz slipped out of the room. I introduced myself to them. Linda gave me a sunny

smile and introduced herself. Melanie just gave my outfit the once-over and then proceeded to roll her eyes. "Is something wrong with my outfit?" I asked. "Yeah. It doesn't look good."

She replied. "That was uncalled for!" Linda exclaimed. I was starting to like this girl. "So, I'm guessing you're very particular about your appearance?" I asked Melanie. "Yes. It takes me

at least 45 minutes to get ready each morning," she said. I heard footsteps, and a second later Cammie and Liz appeared in the room. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem here, Melanie,

since you don't have much of a choice about what to wear." Liz said. Melanie stared at her, "Huh?" "There's a uniform here." Cammie translated. Melanie squeaked and the look on her

face was so hilarious, Linda and I couldn't help but start cracking up. Melanie wheeled on us. "What's so funny?" She demanded. "Nothing, it's just I'm sorry, but the look on your face

when you were told there was a uniform." Linda told her. "So there's not a uniform?" Melanie asked, hopeful. "No there's still a uniform, I think my sister has pictures somewhere if you

want to see them." I said. Melanie just grunted in response. Liz took out her phone, ready to toss it to me, but Cammie grabbed it our of her hand and walked over and handed it to me.

"Here you go." I thanked her and went to the pictures. I started scrolling through them until I found one of Liz and her roommates on the last day of their senior year before graduation.

They were all in their uniforms. I handed the phone to Melanie, and when she saw the uniforms she shuddered and dropped the phone. Linda caught it before it could hit the ground and

she gave it back to Liz. "Thanks." Liz said. While we were talking, Headmistress Morgan came into the room. "I'm sorry girls, but you have to go up to your room now, more people are

coming, and we don't like to have the main floor too crowded during the first night of orientation." She told us. We nodded and scrambled out of there.

**11:30 PM, that same day (or well, night) Joy's POV**

I arrived in my room, tired and a bit disoriented. That is, until the lights turned on. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake any of you?" I asked. "No, we were up waiting for you to come." Said a

wisp of a girl with blonde hair and glasses. "Oh, well that's nice. I'm Joy." "I'm Ellie," the blonde said. An athletic looking brunette stuck out her hand towards me, "I'm Linda." A girl

with wavy auburn hair just said "Melanie" and then gave me the once-over, sneering at me when she was finished, like a typical Gallagher girl. "What?" I snapped. My roommates

seemed taken aback, but Melanie coolly replied, "Nothing" "Don't 'Nothing; me. I've had a long day, tomorrow I have to encounter my brother's ex-girlfriends mother, who probably

knows everything that went on in that relationship, and if you're going to criticize my appearance, at least have the decency to do it to my face!" Melanie reacted calmly. "Okay. Your

outfit is hideous, you have no sense of style if your accessories and bags are any indication, and you have the worst temper ever, which is typical of a poor person." This got me. "1. I'm

not poor, I'm middle class 2. Nothing is wrong with my sense of style and 3. I probably shouldn't have snapped at you but I don't like having someone rolling their eyes at me, especially

on days where I just have left my family for a school that every single one of my friends despise. And, if your attitude is any indication, you're a perfect Gallagher girl, you shallow

bitch!" Sometime during my rant, I started screaming. There was a knock on our door, and a voice saying "Open up." Since I was the only one still standing up, I opened it. Standing

there was a girl with shoulder length dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. "Yes?" I asked. "Is there a problem? I heard yelling." She didn't seem mad, just inquisitive. "I'm sorry. I've just

been having a bad day." "Ok, would you like to step out in the hall with me?" She posed it like a question, but I knew I had no choice. When we got out in the hall and the door closed,

she started talking, "I get a bad day, but before you even officially start school? Please try and wait to get your anger out when a punching bag is near, not by yelling at your roommates

at 11:30 at night. Can you please do that Joy?" "Yes, and how do you know my name?" "I'm in charge of orientation this year, so I made it a point to memorize all of the 7th grader's

names and faces." "Ok, but don't you think I should find out your name?" "You'll find out tomorrow. Good night, Joy. Get some sleep." I nodded and went back to my room. "So, what'd

she want?" Linda asked. "Just to talk, find out what was going on." I turned to Melanie, "I'm sorry for yelling Melanie. I've just been having a bad day." Melanie just grunted in response.

I just sighed and grabbed my toiletry case and my PJ's and got ready for bed. When I got out of the bathroom, my bed was made. I turned to Linda and Ellie, "Thanks guys." They just

nodded. I crawled into bed and started dreaming of home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Next Morning Joy's POV**

I awoke with a start the next morning from a freaky dream. I was walking in town and saw some of my old friends, but they looked right through me. Then, when I was chasing after

them, a bullet came out of nowhere and was headed in my direction. I woke up before it hit me. My loud scream woke my roommates. Linda used her bed to help herself get up, as she

rolled onto the floor when I screamed. "What's wrong?" she asked. "I just had a scary dream, sorry for waking you," I said. "It's okay. We have to get up anyway. What happened in the

dream?" Ellie told me. As we were getting dressed, I proceeded to tell them my dream. When I finished, there was silence. Then a "freaky" came from one of my roommates I can't tell

which one. We headed down to breakfast. We all grabbed some of the most amazing smelling and looking food I have ever encountered and sat down. While we were eating, the

headmistress came up to the podium. She looked slightly like the girl from last night. "Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Gallagher Academy. I am Headmistress Rachel

Morgan. Today, you will learn more about the Gallagher Academy that will help you determine whether or not you would like to spend the next 6 years here. After breakfast, orientation

will start. There will be nametags for you to pick up near the front of the room. While you are eating, I would like to introduce the girl leading your orientation, my daughter, Cammie

Morgan." The girl from last night stepped onto the podium. My mouth dropped open. I thought she would be in college by now. I can't believe this. My brother's ex-girlfriend heard me

screaming, comforted me. She's in charge of my orientation. Cammie steppd up to the podium. "Good morning. I am very excited to be leading your orientation. Now, usually it would

be our most senior staff member, Professor Patricia Buckingham, leading your orientation, but she had a slight emergency she had to take care of. She will be back just in time for the

start of school though. Just 6 short years ago, I was in your position, getting ready for orientation. My goal is to make this orientation as fun and safe for you as possible, so please

listen to me, and it should be fine. Please meet me in the grand hall after breakfast and after picking up your name tags." She finished and stepped back down from the stage, then

went to sit with a undeniably hot boy and a small girl who looked kind of like Ellie. After breakfast, we all reported to the front hall. I looked around, there were about fifteen of us, plus

Cammie. Right before she started, the boy she was sitting with earlier walked in. I saw mouths drop everywhere, and I think my mouth dropped a little bit also. "Gallagher Girl, I found

this on the ground, and I figured you might want it." He said. In his hand, I saw a thin silver necklace with a charm on it. When Cammie saw it, she felt her neck, and got a surprised

look on her face. "How did I not notice that? Give it here." He handed her the necklace and she put it on. "Thanks Zach. Now, shouldn't you be helping Mr. Solomon set up his

classroom?" she told him. "Yes he should." This came from an attractive looking man who looked like he might be a teacher. "Come on, those boxes are not going to unpack

themselves." He said. "You didn't hear about Liz's new project?" Zach said. "Very funny Zach, now go. I have an orientation to start." Cammie said. With an eye-roll and a shove, both

males were gone. Cammie turned back to us. "Sorry about that, now follow me." She said with a sunny smile. I scowled. I didn't want to spend several hours following around my

brother's ex.

**1 hour later Joy's POV**

We sat down in the dining hall, where there had been a projector set up behind the podium. We all sat down and Cammie walked up to the podium. She pressed a button and the exits

were blocked off, but not before several teachers and security guards could make there way into the dining hall. Cammie took a deep breath. "Now what I am about to say will come to

a shock about 30% of you. After learning this, you have the option of staying or not. The Gallagher Academy is not your average boarding school. The students here are exceptional, but

not necessarily in the way you may think. You are allowed to do whatever you want with the education you receive here, but there is one occupation most of the alumni of the Gallagher

Academy become. And that is, _spies._" I burst out laughing, along with 3 other girls. "This is a joke, right?" someone shouted. When no one responded, we quieted down. Cammie gave us a sad look. "I'm sorry, it's not a joke. We are spies. Covert operatives. I will soon be going to work as a field operative for the CIA, along with 6 other of the girls from my grade. 6 of

them will be working as scientists and researchers for the CIA or NSA. One of my best friends is a MI6 agent." Cammie than went into the history of the Gallagher Academy. "The Circle

of Cavan was taken down 2nd semester of my senior year. It was my roommates, my mother, aunt, a few teachers, my boyfriend and me who did it. We were finishing a mission my

father and Mr. Solomon, our cove-ops teacher, started. A mission my father died for. This is the risk of being a spy. People die, all the time. Our world is a world full of secrets and lies.

You can't truly trust anyone. It's can be a horrible world." She looked to her side, I followed her gaze and saw it was directed at Zach. He nodded and walked up to the podium, taking

over the microphone. "The world of spies, it's bad. My mother was a Gallagher Girl. She is now dead." He took a breath, "She is dead because I killed her. On purpose." There was a

gasp throughout the room, people started glaring at him. "Please, listen," Zach continued, "My mother, something I rather not refer to her as, was an evil woman. She was part of the

Circle of Cavan, an organization formed around the man who was killed by the founder of this school. The world people are prepared to enter here is a messy one. One where it is

possible to do as my mother did." He stepped back from the microphone. Cammie took over again. "The world you will most likely be entering should you choose to stay here is a very

odd, confusing, dangerous, and messy one. People do very bad things for very good reasons. I have murdered men before they could murder my friends. I have ran away from home to

find answers, and in the process, became a girl I didn't even know. I am not that girl anymore, but I'm not the girl I was before either. So, I ask you to consider this with a lot of

seriousness. It is not something to be taken lightly. Yes, it can be cool and fun, and don't get me wrong, I have had a lot of great times during my time at the Gallagher Academy,

memories that will hopefully be with me forever, but it can also be dangerous. It is amazing, knowing you helped save people, but it's also horrifying, knowing you had to kill in the

process. It's a world of contradictions, so right now, we stand before you, asking if you want to enter it. If you say no, we will erase your memory of this revelation and send you home

with a story about why you could not attend our school. Please give us your answers by sometime tomorrow evening. I know a day and a half is not a lot of time, but it is all the time we

can spare. You are welcome to talk with any person standing in this room or any of the girls that knew what the Gallagher Academy is before this revelation." She stepped off the

podium and the doors opened and the teachers stepped back, letting us through. My roommates and I raced to our room and sat down on our beds. "So, who knew?" I ask. Ellie and

Linda raise their hands. "My mom went here, she's CIA," Linda said. Ellie smiled, "Eavesdropping on my sister, heard her talking about the CIA with her boyfriend, she had to tell me."

"And I still am embarrassed that I didn't bother checking first," came from a mass dropping from the ceiling. The girl looked at us, "We couldn't resist." "We?" I asked. Another girl

dropped from the ceiling. "Yes, we." It was Cammie. "Sorry, we had to. We're spies," she said by way of explanation. It was that statement, "We're spies" that something clicked in my

head. "Spies." I whispered. I turned my head to Cammie. "Is that why-?" I couldn't finish, but I hoped she could figure out what I was asking. "Yes." She answered. After a bit more

thought, she said, "Come with me, Joy. I have something to give you that may help clear some things up." "Okay." She headed out the door and down the stairs and I followed. We

headed to a small corridor and she was reaching for something when we heard footsteps. She turned her head but relaxed when she saw who it was. "Oh, it's just you." "Is that anyway

to greet your boyfriend Gallagher Girl?" "It is when I'm about to go into a hidden passageway, Blackthorne Boy." I turned around and saw a very tired looking Zach. "Where are you

going anyway?" He asked. "None of your business. Now shoo, before I make you." "What are you going to do Gallagher Girl?" "Bex and I trained together for a few weeks this summer,

you don't want to know what I have in mind." She said. "I'm going, I'm going, no need to get violent." He said, backing away. When he was gone, Cammie smiled at me, "Sorry about

that. Now you can't tell anyone about this. And I mean anyone. It's private, and I will not show you any more passageways. If you want to find them, do it yourself. That's how I found

them. Got it?" "Got it." I said. Cammie pressed a brick or two and a bunch of bricks slid back, revealing a passage, Cammie slipped in and motioned for me to follow her. I did. After

several minutes, we came upon a room with a few bean bag chairs, a trash can, an iPod dock, and a stack of five journals on a table. Cammie went over to the stack, and grabbed the

top one. She handed it to me. "It's my cove-ops report from first semester of my sophomore year. When I was dating your brother. There's some stuff in there that may make you

uncomfortable, but I think you'll be fine. Hopefully it explains things a bit more. It's not too long, and given your love of reading, I expect you should be able to finish it before your

answer is required about whether or not you want to stay. It should probably help you with your decision, but honestly my later reports would help you more, but there isn't time for you

to read all of them before tomorrow and even if there was I wouldn't let you because I was practically shaking just remembering some of the stuff, and I was a senior writing that last

report, it would be way too intense for you. No offense." "I think I may have already made my decision." "Yeah?" "I want to be a spy. I mean, I saw that clip of you in Boston, and it's

just amazing, what you did. Saving people like that." "Thanks. And for what it's worth, I think you'll be a pretty good spy, on the R&D or the cove-ops track." She said. "Thanks." I told

her.

**Time lapse (still Joy's POV)**

I closed the journal. I was finished with Cammie's cove-ops report. I now knew things I couldn't unlearn but kinda wish I could. Like my brother's pathetic behavior in trying to find

Cammie after they first met. I glanced at my watch, it was only 3 pm. I looked at my roommates. Melanie was painting her toenails, Ellie was writing something and using a calculator,

and Linda was playing a handheld videogame. "So, have you made your decisions?" I asked. Linda responded, "I never had to make a decision, it was always a yes." "I thought I was

absolutely sure, but then I heard Cammie's speech, because while I knew what the Gallagher Academy is for, I didn't really think about the side of it the speech was about, so now I'm

not quite sure. But my sister did it, and she seems fine, so I'm thinking maybe I will stay." Ellie said. "So is that a yes?" I asked. "I think so." She said. "What about you Melanie?" Linda

asked. "I'm definitely in if it means we'll get to meet hot spy boys." Melanie said. "So, should we go find someone and tell them?" Ellie asked. I nodded. We all looked at each other and

then got up and left the room in search of a staff member or Cammie. I guess luck was on our side, because right after walking down the stairs we saw Cammie, Zach, and Liz. "We

made our decision," Ellie called out. All three of them turned around. "Good. What is it?" Liz asked. Ellie smiled, "I'm staying." Liz ran over and hugged her. "Do you even have to ask?" Linda said. "When are we getting fitted for our uniforms?" I asked. "What can I say, spy guys are hot." Melanie said, with her eyes looking in Zachs direction. That response elicited

some laughing from all three older teens. "Welcome to the Gallagher Academy." Cammie said. I looked over and smiled at all my roommates. We were going to be spies. Life is going to

be awesome.


End file.
